farmers' clubs. 247 



most plain and simple, and therefore the best ; but the most luxurious and ex- 

 travagant, and therefore the worst and the most unsuitable and out-of-place sort 

 of dinner that could be set before sensible men professing to be in search of the 

 best means of ejilighleniiic; the minds and bctUring the conditioii of themselves 

 and their children. What do such men, if men of hard, solid sense, animated 

 by the true and appropriate feelings, care about Julienne soup, soft crabs sent for 

 to a market ten miles off; for fish hoUandese sauce, and the various rich and lux- 

 urious dishes spread upon the talle d^hote of a fashionable hotel, such as Mitchell's 

 U. S. Hotel, Philadelphia — such as lapcreau roll ; canards aux navels ; ris de 

 veau, aux epiiiards ; cotellettes de mouton, sauce hashee ; pigeeons roti ; poulets, 

 grillee ; des huitres, a la poulet ; tete de veau, sauce cerviJle ; fricandeau de veau, 

 Madere sauce, and poulets a la provencale .' In lieu of all these, would not any 

 sensible man, on such an occasion, be much better pleased to be interrupted only 

 while he might take a slice of nice cold corned beef (the plate), such as Col. 

 Jack T. or J. G. D. of Baltimore, knew so well how to choose, and to cure, and 

 to cook afterward ! But besides the fact that these convivial dinners are apt to 

 degenerate into sensual and extravagant indulgences, pleasant enough, we do not 

 deny, in their way and with certain appliances, but not suited to the main pur- 

 poses of such Associations, they are, in fact, ill adapted to them in various ways. 

 They are too much and too long confined to the same persons, and do not admit 

 of extension ; or when extended by invitation, they are made to embrace, for the 

 most part, those who are already the most zealous and the best informed, whereas 

 the object should be, as the true desideratum is, to draw into the vortex of these 

 Clubs and absorb the most lukeicarm and the least enlightened. " They that are 

 whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick : I came not to call 

 the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." 



While memory holds her seat, we should be the last to undervalue the social 

 enjoyments of these reunions of farmers at each other's houses, to discuss agricul- 

 tural questions, especially such as are submitted to the Board, after undergoing the 

 revision of the good housewife. Especially shall we always remember the fun 

 and frolic of the mind and spirits we ever had in view; the baiting Tiiv:e\\ as the 

 debating that awaited us when we repaired on the appointed day to persuade our 

 old frieiid, the Treasurer, to go into the country, to which he never failed to yield, 

 but always with pretended reluctance. Who of that joyous party has forgotten how 

 at Hayfields we called upon him, and how he rose and let out kink after kink, 

 until presently he stood up in all his bight and animation, in fervid reply to Gov- 

 ernor Barbour's Speech at the christening of the La Fayette Tankard, filled 

 for the occasion with mint j'ulep of John Merryman's inimitable coinpounding ? 

 Ah I those were truly limes of genuine hospitality and good cheer and good fel- 

 lowship to be remembered. 



" Care, mad to see a man sae happy, 

 E'en drowned himself anianp the nappy; 

 As bees flee hame wi' lades o' treasure, 

 The minutes winged their way wi' pleasure." 



Alas ! — but we are out of the latitude ! and so to return to the practical opera- 

 tion and influences of such Clubs, we respectfully suggest that a short account 

 of what is elicited by the debate, particularly as regards any striking facts brought 

 to light, ought to be drawn out by the Secretary and offered for publication to the 

 nearest village paper. Beyond all dispute, all papers read before such Clubs or 

 Societies should be open and accessible to all Editors who choose to make them 



(535) 



V 



